User mini profile

- Mon Mar 20, 2006 11:39 am#58664
A problem that we have within VACCSCA is that there is no incentive to proceed to the Controller rating, or for that matter beyond. That's why we have so many who stay at the Senior Student (SS) level. The skill level acquired and training provided to SSs today is to a large extent dependent on which instructor/mentor the student has, as well as the student's initial level of knowledge and motivation. So we have some very experienced SSs who are excellent controllers, and on the other hand we have SSs fresh out of training with very varied skill levels. SSs in VACCSCA are entitled to man all ATC positions at all times, and there is no differentiation between "experienced" and "inexperienced" SSs. This has the effect that mostly the larger positions are staffed, like CTR and APP at the largest airports, while other positions are rarely opened.

Now, that was a bit off topic, but the point is that we shouldn't remove incentives for controllers to aim for the higher ATC ratings, and we should use the ATC rating system to ensure that we have a high and consistent quality of training, as well as a high quality ATC service.

User mini profile

- Mon Mar 20, 2006 5:02 pm#58704
I was logged in yesterday with my staff callsign, and had a new student in another region message me; I helped him get set-up with some questions about ASRC, and then he asked me 'how do I get on the sweatbox server to make all those planes go'

I explained to him that it was restricted to above a certain level, and he would only be able to connect to watch, and not use ACSim to direct the planes.

He said he wanted to fly them into each other, and so on -- I think reasons like that are reasons why we have the restrictions in place. To keep the less informed, and less mature people out of the way of those who want to use Sweatbox to push their students!

User mini profile

- Mon Jul 11, 2011 9:14 pm#420566
sweatbox is just a server. the instructor needs ACSim or tower trainer to inject the traffic.

i cant remember how vUSAF (used to be with them) handles the training with VATUSA/VATSIM, but youll need the appropriate ratings/permissions etc.. to be able to use those programs.

nothing special needed from the student other then the ATC client, all they have to do is connect to the sweatbox server.

are you guys able to issue ratings etc.? if not, im thinking you may need to contact the home ARTCC's and try to see if their instructors can be made available to you.

Rich or someone else may be able to give more info. the last time i was in the vUSAF ATC program a few years ago we only operated as visitors within the home ARTCC's, we didnt do ratings advancement, etc.. from what i remember. altho we did have instructors who were also instructors at their home ARTCC's, our sessions were on the network tho, never on sweatbox, so not sure if that was a limitation or something

User mini profile

- Sun Nov 22, 2015 5:37 am#493425
Hello, Gabriel. Welcome to VATSIM. I noticed you joined VATSIM a few hours ago. Once VATUSA receives your membership information from the central membership database (about 07Z), you can go to the VATUSA home page and click the green link on the right side, Become a VATUSA ATC, and follow the process. See you on the scopes soon.